Han Xiangru

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Han Xiangru (韩香茹)
Alias(es)	Second Miss Han 4 5 6
Gender	Female
Age	Seventeen 3 32
Affiliation	Ningyuan Earl’s household by birth; Marquis of Qingyuan’s household by marriage 3 34
Occupation/Role	Earl of Ningyuan’s second daughter; wife of Qin Songyun 3 34
Status	Married to Qin Songyun 34
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background / History

Family and marriage ambitions

Han Xiangru is the daughter of the Earl of Ningyuan and Madam Wang, a concubine elevated to principal wife after the death of Han Wanqing’s mother. Madam Wang had withheld Wanqing and her brothers’ allowances and skimped on their food. She later attempted to substitute her own daughter for Wanqing in the emperor-decreed marriage to Prince Yu, resulting in confinement until after the wedding and ostracism among the capital’s noblewomen 3.

Xiangru had never been particularly close to her elder half-sister, but began visiting frequently after Wanqing became Princess Yu. Dazzled by the princely residence, she rejected other marriage proposals as inferior and coveted both Prince Yu’s position and his affection for Wanqing 3.

Pursuit of Prince Yu

While visiting Wanqing after Chu Siqing’s birth, Xiangru brought homemade pastries, asked to hold the baby, and inquired about Prince Yu’s absence. Her apparent concern concealed her intention to attract him. Wanqing, warned by Siqing’s thoughts, refused to let her hold the infant and questioned her reluctance to marry 3.

When Prince Yu arrived, Xiangru suggested that he take more women into his household, then falsely presented the suggestion as Wanqing’s own wish. Siqing’s thoughts exposed the manipulation to her parents. The prince reaffirmed his love for Wanqing and mocked Xiangru’s claim, leaving her humiliated but still determined to win him 4.

The stolen bracelet

Xiangru next tried to draw Prince Yu’s attention by displaying a jade bracelet. He recognized it as one of Wanqing’s betrothal gifts, while Siqing’s thoughts revealed that Xiangru’s maid had stolen it. Xiangru claimed to have bought the bracelet and considered breaking it during the handover to destroy the evidence, but Wanqing took it from her instead 4 5.

Immersion in clean water revealed the character “Wan” inside the jade, identifying its intended owner through a secret imperial crafting technique. Xiangru changed her story to a pawnshop purchase, attempted to leave, and feigned unconsciousness when the prince demanded the shop’s name and a receipt 5 6.

Physician Lin’s proposed acupuncture made her sit up and shove him aside, exposing the act. Threatened with referral to the authorities, she admitted ordering her maid Xue’er to steal the bracelet. Wanqing informed the Ningyuan household while keeping the theft from becoming a wider scandal that could damage her unmarried siblings’ prospects. Xiangru’s subsequent request to stay overnight was refused by Prince Yu, who had her escorted home 6.

Family gatherings

At Siqing’s full-month banquet, Xiangru defended Han Nanxing’s beating after his expulsion from the academy and mocked his ambition to become General Fang’s disciple. Madam Fang immediately announced that the general had accepted him, forcing Xiangru to offer an embarrassed congratulation. She also anticipated Wanqing’s discomfort when Princess Yongfu arrived uninvited 10.

At Nanxing’s apprenticeship banquet, Xiangru teased him about his excitement and red clothing, saying that he looked like a bridegroom. He dismissed her criticism 15.

Marriage to Qin Songyun

When Yongfu sent assassins after Wanqing, Xiangru welcomed the possibility that her sister’s death might allow her to become Prince Yu’s second wife. Wanqing’s survival and Yongfu’s punishment cooled that ambition. Xiangru instead pursued the Marquis of Qingyuan’s proposal for his third son, valuing the household’s title despite knowing that the son would not inherit it 32.

Siqing’s system revealed that the Qingyuan household was financially depleted, the Marchioness wanted a daughter-in-law’s dowry and access to Prince Yu, and the proposed groom kept three mistresses. Wanqing relayed the warning to their father, but Xiangru dismissed it as jealousy. When the earl refused the match and suggested a dependable man from a lower-ranking family, she insisted that she would rather suffer in a marquis’s household 32 33.

Xiangru secretly met the prospective groom, Qin Songyun, whose gentlemanly manner and attentiveness convinced her to marry no one else. A jade pendant bearing “Yun” exposed the meeting. She first denied knowing him, then admitted receiving the pendant as a love token. Her father slapped her and opposed the match, but eventually yielded to her insistence 33 34.

Wanqing explicitly refused future assistance with matters involving the Qingyuan household, and Xiangru angrily rejected her help. The betrothal gifts proved largely low-value—gilded jewelry and outdated fabrics—and the earl refused to give Xiangru a larger dowry than Wanqing’s. She nevertheless married Qin Songyun; her subsequent married life is not described 34.

Appearance

• Clothing: Introduced wearing a moon-white dress and entering with a graceful manner 3.
• Complexion: Her snow-white wrist is highlighted when she displays the jade bracelet 4.
• Mannerisms: Uses gentle smiles, elegant movements, and deliberately alluring expressions when trying to attract Prince Yu 4.

Personality

Xiangru is competitive and status-conscious, measuring her prospects against Wanqing’s marriage rather than judging suitors primarily by character. She regards lower-ranking matches as beneath her and interprets her sister’s warnings as attempts to prevent her happiness 3 32 33.

Her affectionate manners conceal resentment and opportunism. When confronted, she changes her story, appeals to family ties, or presents herself as unwell. Even after confessing the bracelet theft, she later describes it as merely having “taken” the bracelet and treats Wanqing’s insistence on accountability as vindictiveness 4 5 6 33.

Equipment / Items

• Stolen jade bracelet — Wanqing’s betrothal gift from Prince Yu, stolen on Xiangru’s orders by Xue’er. Its hidden “Wan” inscription appeared in water, exposing Xiangru’s false ownership claim; it was recovered by Wanqing 4 5 6.
• Jade pendant — An average-quality pendant given by Qin Songyun as a love token. The carved “Yun” character linked it to him and helped expose their secret meeting 33 34.

Relationships

• Han Wanqing — Elder half-sister and chief object of her envy. Wanqing attempts to protect her from an unsuitable marriage but withdraws future support after Xiangru repeatedly rejects her warnings 3 32 33 34.
• Madam Wang — Mother, who defends Xiangru’s conduct and supports the prestigious Qingyuan match, though she briefly wavers after hearing about the groom’s mistresses 3 32 33 34.
• Earl of Ningyuan — Father, whose efforts to prevent the Qingyuan marriage lead to repeated arguments. He ultimately consents but limits her dowry 32 33 34.
• Chu Hongle / Prince Yu — Brother-in-law and former marriage target. He rejects her manipulation, investigates the stolen bracelet, and refuses her attempt to remain overnight 4 5 6.
• Chu Siqing — Niece, whose system-informed thoughts expose Xiangru’s ambitions and theft and later alert Wanqing to the risks of her proposed marriage 3 4 6 32 33.
• Qin Songyun / Qin Sanlang — Husband and third son of the Marquis of Qingyuan. His attentive courtship wins Xiangru over despite warnings about his character and household 32 33 34.
• Han Nanxing — Half-brother, whom she criticizes over his expulsion and mocks about his apprenticeship ambitions 10 15.
• Han Wenyuan and Han Xiangning — Younger siblings born to Madam Wang; both defend Nanxing against Xiangru’s criticism at Siqing’s banquet 3 10.
• Xue’er — Maid whom Xiangru ordered to steal Wanqing’s bracelet 6.

Notable Quotes

“I would rather suffer in a marquis’s household than marry into an ordinary family!” 33

“Young Master Qin and I love each other. I won’t marry anyone but him!” 34

“I knew you meant me no good! I don’t want your help anyway!” — To Han Wanqing, after she refuses future assistance involving the Qingyuan household 34